Android L aka Android Lollipop: All the key features you need to know

No more lemon drop, Licorice, its Lollipop that L stands for in Android L. Here are the top key features you need to know about Android L aka Android Lollipop aka Android 5.0.

All new material design

The first and foremost thing you will notice in Android L is new look and design that is quite different from current Android Kit Kat 4.4. Google has come up with a new concept of “material” design which makes much more use of interface layers.

And therefore it is quite lively in look compared to Android 4.4. The new “material” interface features more vibrant colours and smoother animations than previous versions of Android.

Here’s a sneak peek into the Material design of Android L.

To make your Android L experience better, Google has come up with new widgets too.

All new Navigation soft keys and keyboard

New look has been given to Navigation soft keys. They have now turned a triangle, circle and square with the same function as before.

They add some extra simplicity to the new material design in Android L.

All new notification system

Android L features all new notification system which will allow you access entire notification list directly from the lock screen. You can swipe down for more information, slide in either way to remove it and even unlock the screen.

Google has also introduced “Heads up” notification that pop up on top of whatever you are doing that means you don’t have to drag down notification bar for every time your phone beeps.

You can even choose what messages are very important, hide personal content, and even set priority for different contacts.

All new multi tasking experience

Something very exciting you will find in Android L is its new 3D multitasking menu. Say good bye to 2D, now you will able to see your ‘recent’ Apps in the form of 3D app tiles. It is quite similar to the tabs screen of Chrome browser for android but Google has made look sharper and simpler for Android L.

The new multitasking menu will treat Chrome tabs and Apps equally which will make easier for you to navigate between different tasks.

Battery Optimisation

Android L gets a totally new battery saver mode plus some other battery features. Google claims that any phone which is compatible for Android L, when upgraded will increase its battery life by 90 minutes. More battery life is bliss especially for high end Android Smart phones.

The new battery saver mode can be activated manually or scheduled to activate certain conditions.

A clever little thing in Android L is that your lock screen will now tell you how long your phone will take to charge full when plugged in.

All new quick settings

Android L users can now do away with Third party apps for extra features as Android L comes with inbuilt flashlight, screen rotation, and hotspot. Google has cut down the number of swipes by introducing new On/Off toggles for Wi-Fi Bluetooth and Location.

Improved Security features

Android L users will now be able to unlock there phone by using Android Watch through proximity sensors that means if your phone is near your Android smart watch, the phone will open without entering any unlock code or pattern.

Moreover, Encryption is now by default in Android L which will safeguard your data if you ever lose the phone. Android L also features new guest user mode which will allow you to create multiple accounts on the same device.

Android L features ART runtime

ART runtime is now default in Android L. Present Android devices use Dalvik run time as standard from the day one.

No doubt ART runtime will be much quicker but it will use more storage space for apps.

Some extra cool features

“OK Google” will work even if your phone is off

For now this feature is only limited to Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices. This feature apparently requires hardware support but according to Google, any device that comes with “digital signal processing” can enable this feature.

The Moto X feature: Screen will turn on when you pick up the phone.

This feature would be nothing new for Moto X users but for others it would quite exciting. Android L will now wake up if you pick up the phone or else tap the screen twice.